Tunisian Harissa Stuffed Peppers with Herbed Yogurt

About This Recipe

Stuffed vegetables spiced with harissa and warm North African seasoning are common across Tunisian home kitchens, closely related to the stuffed vegetable traditions found throughout the Maghreb. This version fills bell peppers with a rice-and-lamb mixture seasoned with harissa, cumin and cinnamon, then bakes them in a light tomato sauce, finishing with a cooling herbed yogurt on the side — a modern touch that isn't traditionally Tunisian but works well to balance the chile heat. The rice is only partially cooked before mixing with the raw ground lamb, harissa and spices, since it finishes cooking in the oven as it absorbs the tomato sauce and meat juices. Ground lamb, more common in Tunisian cooking than beef, adds a distinct richness that pairs naturally with the warm cinnamon and cumin in the filling. Baked uncovered for the final stretch so the tops brown slightly, then finished with a dollop of yogurt brightened with fresh mint, these peppers balance real Tunisian heat with a cooling contrast at the table.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 5bell peppers(tops cut off and cored)
• 400 gground lamb
• 0.75 cuplong-grain rice(partially cooked, 10 minutes)
• 1onion(half grated into filling, half chopped for sauce)
• 2 tbspharissa paste
• 1 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspground cinnamon
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 700 gcanned crushed tomatoes
• 1.5 cupsvegetable stock
• 1 cupplain yogurt
• 3 tbspfresh mint(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the filling

   Combine ground lamb, partially cooked rice, grated onion, 1 tbsp harissa, cumin, cinnamon and 1 tsp salt. Mix gently until just combined.

2. 2

   Stuff the peppers

   Fill the hollowed peppers loosely with the lamb mixture, leaving room for expansion, and arrange in a baking dish.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the chopped onion 5 minutes, then stir in remaining harissa, crushed tomatoes, stock and remaining salt. Simmer 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Bake covered

   Pour the sauce around and over the stuffed peppers. Cover with foil and bake at 190C (375F) for 35 minutes.

5. 5

   Finish uncovered

   Remove the foil and bake 10-15 minutes more until the peppers are tender, the tops are lightly browned, and the filling reaches 74C internal.

6. 6

   Serve

   Stir mint into the yogurt and serve a generous dollop alongside each pepper, spooning extra sauce over the top.

Variations

• •

  Beef version: substitute ground beef for lamb if you prefer a milder, more neutral flavor.

• •

  Vegetarian: replace the lamb with a mixture of rice, chickpeas and finely diced mushroom, keeping the same spicing.

• •

  Extra heat: increase the harissa in the filling for a spicier version, and skip the yogurt if you prefer maximum heat.

Storage

Refrigerate in the sauce, covered, up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered dish in a 180C oven until warmed through; add fresh yogurt when serving rather than storing it with the peppers.

Frequently Asked Questions